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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rush — hurry
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. kick — in football
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bark — to shout
  24. kick — with a leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com